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Maybe carpenter ants
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Posted by ducas z6b Ont (My Page) on Thu, Jun 21, 07 at 17:15
| We have a gorgeous catalpa tree on our front lawn that had a carpenter ant infestation last year, which seemed to disappear with boric acid/mint gelly applied to strips of tape at the base of the tree. This year, the tree has a new infestation of large black ants, but they have a kind of grey transluscent abdomen, they aren't completely black. Also, they are active during the day, and the other ants that nested in the tree were rarely visible during the day. They also seem to be disinterested in the mint jelly/boric acid bait, but came out in droves today to feed on honeydew from fallen catalpa blossoms. Does anyone know what kind of ant this is, and what kind of bait to set? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Maybe carpenter ants
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| Find out why they are in that tree. The presence of Carpenter Ants, or similar species is a symptom of a larger problem, they are not the real problem. Most likely that tree has a rotten spot they are visiting. |
RE: Maybe carpenter ants
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| From what I have read, these trees give off quite a bit of nectar from the flowers and also out of the leaves and this is what the ants are after. The ants are friend rather than foe because they attack affids |
RE: Maybe carpenter ants
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| Ants rarely ATTACK aphids, jelymon. They often have a symbiotic (mutualistic) relationship with them, guarding them and protecting them from predators. In return, the ants can harvest the sweet honey-dew that aphids excrete...in sweeter concentrations when stroked by the ants. Even aggressive southern fire ants will guard aphids (and scale insects) rather than eat them up. |
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